Ops: User Accounts Lifecycle

User management is the foundation of academic operations. This guide covers the complete lifecycle of a user account: creating accounts manually, importing students in bulk, maintaining credentials, and suspending accounts when a student leaves the program.

1. Accessing User Management

All user management tasks are performed in the Site administration area.

• Navigate to: Site administration tab → Users tab → Accounts section.

2. Creating a Single User (Manual)

Use this method for adding individual staff members, teachers, or late-enrolling students.

1. Go to Site administration → Users → Accounts → Add a new user.
2. Fill in the General fields:
   • Username: Must be lowercase letters only. (e.g., `john.doe`).
   • Authentication method: Leave as "Manual accounts".
   • Suspended account: Ensure this is unchecked.
   • Generate password and notify user: Recommended. Check this box so Moodle emails the login details to the user automatically. This saves you from creating and sending passwords manually.
3. Fill in the User details:
   • First name & Last name: Required.
   • Email address: Required. Ensure this is accurate, as the password reset email will be sent here.
4. Click Create user at the bottom of the page.

3. Bulk User Creation (CSV Upload)

For new cohorts or large intakes, use the "Upload users" feature to create hundreds of accounts at once.

Step 1: Prepare the CSV File

Create a spreadsheet (Excel) and save it as a .csv (Comma delimited) file. The first row must contain the column headers.

Required headers:

username,firstname,lastname,email

Example Data:

username,firstname,lastname,email
s2024001,Zhang,San,[email protected]
s2024002,Li,Si,[email protected]

Step 2: Upload Process

1. Go to Site administration → Users → Accounts → Upload users.
2. Drag and drop your .csv file into the File area.
3. Click Upload users.
4. Preview Page: Moodle will show a preview of the users.
   • Upload type: Select "Add new only, skip existing users" (safest option).
   • New user password: Select "Create password if needed and send via email". This ensures students receive their credentials immediately.
5. Click Upload users again to confirm.
6. Review the results page to ensure there were no errors.

4. Password Management

"I forgot my password" is the most common support request.

Method A: The "Force" Reset (Operational)

If a user cannot use the "Forgotten your password?" link on the login page, you can reset it manually:

1. Go to Browse list of users.
2. Search for the user by name or email.
3. Click the Gear icon ⚙️ (Edit) next to their name.
4. Scroll to the New password field.
5. Type a temporary password (e.g., `ChangeMe123!`).
6. Check the box Force password change. This requires the user to set their own secure password immediately upon logging in.
7. Scroll down and click Update profile.
8. Communicate the temporary password to the user securely.

5. Suspending Users (Withdrawals)

When a student withdraws, pauses their studies, or graduates, you should Suspend their account rather than delete it.

Action	Effect on Data	When to use
Suspend (Recommended)	User cannot login. All grades, assignment submissions, and logs are preserved.	Student drops out, payment issues, or course completion.
Delete (Dangerous)	User is removed. All operational data (grades, logs) associated with this user may be permanently lost.	Only for spam accounts or erroneous duplicates.

How to Suspend a User

1. Go to Browse list of users.
2. Find the user and click the Gear icon ⚙️ (Edit).
3. In the General section, find the Suspended account checkbox.
4. Check the box.
5. Click Update profile.

The user can no longer log in, but their history remains in the system for reporting purposes. To reactivate them, simply uncheck the box.

6. Searching and Filtering

To manage a large student body, use the advanced filters.

1. Go to Browse list of users.
2. Click Show more in the "New filter" section.
3. You can filter by:
   • Email address: Useful if you only have their email.
   • Suspended account: Select "Yes" to see all inactive students.
   • Last access: Useful to identify "At-Risk" students who haven't logged in for a while (e.g., "before 30 days ago").